1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a technique to store and retain a syringe used for a balloon catheter. More specifically, the invention relates to a syringe holder and a syringe set with the syringe stored in the syringe holder.
2. Description of the Related Art
A balloon catheter is an instrument for administering medical treatment for a living body. The balloon catheter includes a catheter to be inserted into a body, and is provided with a balloon at the distal end of the catheter. The balloon is formed by covering a tube on the outer periphery of the catheter and fixing the both ends thereof. The catheter is formed with a lumen communicating with the inside of the balloon, and the balloon can be inflated by sending air into the lumen (for example, see JP-A-2002-143311).
In the related art, when using the balloon catheter in a luminal structure, barium meal is used for taking X-ray movie for control the amount of air to be supplied while observing the diameter of the balloon in many cases. In this case, the balloon can be observed clearly along the outline thereof at a portion pushed against an inner wall of the luminal structure since the barium meal is moved away at this portion. However, at a portion of the balloon which is hidden by the barium meal, the outline thereof cannot be observed clearly, and hence the precise size of the balloon cannot be obtained.
To cope with this problem, there is a technique for providing a plurality of syringes having different capacities in advance so that the size of the balloon can be controlled without using X-rays, and using a syringe of a desired capacity in connection with the balloon catheter for controlling the size of the balloon. In this case, the plurality of syringes are prepared in a sterilized packages for the balloon catheter and a required syringe is taken out from the sterilized package for use. Alternatively, there is a case where a plurality of syringes are stored in a sterilized package and the sterilized package is stored in another sterilized package for the balloon catheter.
However, in the case where the plurality of syringes are stored in the sterilized package, the syringes are often scattered in the sterilized package during transportation, and hence it is difficult to take a required syringe. When the sterilized package in which only the syringes are stored is stored in another sterilized package, since the syringes are packed twice, it takes time for taking the syringe out. In view of efficiency of manipulation, it is preferable that an operator can select a syringe optimal for manipulation easily out of the plurality of syringes that are similar in appearance.